'Game of Thrones' Deaths: Books vs. TV Show Quiz

Were you one of those "Game of Thrones" fans eagerly awaiting your friends' shocked reactions to the Red Wedding on TV because you'd already read the books? Are you a fan of the show who went back to read the source material? If you can spot the key differences between how characters died on the show versus in the novels, you've got a chance at surviving this brutal quiz.

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Question 1 of 30

In the TV series, Mance Rayder is burned at the stake and shot with an arrow by Jon Snow. Who saves him from this fate in the novels?

Lord of Bones

Jon Snow

Melisandre

Melisandre uses magic to make the Lord of Bones look like Rayder, allowing Rayder to escape his pyre. Rayder is then sent to Winterfell to rescue Arya (although it's not actually Arya).

Question 2 of 30

Khal Drogo dies in the TV series when his own rider, Mago, challenges him. How is he injured fighting in the novels?

Viserys Targaryen

a bloodrider in another khalasar

He still dies from an infected wound, but in the novels Drogo is injured battling a rival khal.

Daenerys Targaryen

Question 3 of 30

In which version of the Red Wedding is Robb Stark's wolf Grey Wind shot to death while trapped in a cage?

TV series

In the novel Grey Wind attacks the Boltons and Freys and does some damage, but he's simply slaughtered in his pen in the TV series.

novel

both

Question 4 of 30

Just before the massacre at the Red Wedding begins, Catelyn Stark realizes what's about to happen when she notices Edwyn Frey wearing chainmail, and she slaps him. Who takes Edwyn's place in the TV series?

Greatjon Umber

Walder Frey

Roose Bolton

Roose Bolton plays a more prominent role in the Red Wedding in the TV series.

Question 5 of 30

Catelyn Stark takes Walder Frey's wife hostage in the TV version of the Red Wedding before getting her throat slit. What does she do in the novel?

tries to take Walder's grandson hostage, then claws her own face open, opening wounds so severe the Freys freak out and kill her

The Freys had planned to take Catelyn hostage, but her apparent insanity as she clawed at her own face led them to kill her instead.

sets herself on fire with a candle in hopes of burning down the castle

fights a duel against Roose Bolton using Robb's sword

Question 6 of 30

In which version does Qhorin Halfhand goad Jon Snow into killing him in order to convince the wildlings Jon is turning his back on the Night's Watch?

novels

TV series

both

Qhorin's ploy to help sell Jon Snow's defection to the wildlings is similar in both versions.

Question 7 of 30

In the novel, Tyrion strangles Shae with the chain worn by the Hand of the King. What does he use in the TV series?

a silk scarf

golden chains he'd given to her as a gift

He strangles her with golden chains.

the chains he was wearing from his time in the dungeons

Question 8 of 30

How does Stannis fare at the Battle of Winterfell in the novels? (Brienne kills him in the TV series.)

No one's sure — someone sent a letter saying he lost the battle and was killed, but none of it is directly depicted, and the letter may be fake.

The fate of Stannis is cloudy at the end of "A Dance With Dragons." It's unclear if the battle even happened yet.

He's defeated and killed by Ramsay Bolton, not Brienne.

He's defeated but still alive, heading back to Castle Black to ask Melisandre what to do next.

Question 9 of 30

Jojen Reed is sickened by his wound while fighting an undead skeleton in the novels. What happens to him in the TV series?

The skeleton kills him, and a Child of the Forest destroys his corpse so he doesn’t become a wight.

Jojen is killed off the by the skeleton in the TV series.

The wound gradually turns him into an undead creature.

He dreams of his own death, but Bran is able to change his fate with his strange abilities.

Question 10 of 30

In the TV series, when Tyrion confronts Tywin in the privy with a crossbow, Tywin angers him by mocking Shae. Who does he mock instead in the novels?

Tyrion

Tysha, Tyrion's first wife

Tywin mocks Tyrion's relationship with Tysha, calling her a whore.

Jaime

Question 11 of 30

How does Oberyn Martell's death in the novel differ from the head crushing he received at the hands of Gregor Clegane in the TV series?

It doesn't differ at all — Oberyn dies the exact same way in the novel.

It's a gruesome death scene in every version.

Oberyn is still alive in the novels at this point.

Oberyn accidentally poisons himself when he nicks his leg with his own spear.

Question 12 of 30

Trystane Martell is murdered by his cousin Obara in the TV series. Where is he as of "A Dance with Dragons" in the novels?

He's dead at the bottom of the Shivering Sea.

He's traveling across the desert, fleeing the assassination plot of his aunt and cousins.

He's still alive, remaining at Sunspear while Myrcella travels to King's Landing.

So far, the tale of Trystane and Myrcella is much happier in the novels.

Question 13 of 30

In the TV series, Lysa Arryn's fall through the Moon Door is claimed to be suicide, although Littlefinger pushes her. Who takes the blame in the novels?

Sansa Stark

the bard Marillion

Marillion, who has few friends in the Vale, is blamed for the death and eventually confesses under torture.

Robin Arryn

Question 14 of 30

Selyse Baratheon hangs herself in grief after allowing her daughter Shireen to be sacrificed in the TV series. What is her fate in the novels?

She also hangs herself on the novels.

As of "A Dance with Dragons," Selyse remains at the Wall, engaging in political maneuvering with the Night's Watch and the wildlings.

Stannis and Selyse's storyline has not advanced as far in the novels as they have on TV, so Selyse remains alive at the Wall.

Melisandre sacrifices Selyse in the novels, not Shireen.

Question 15 of 30

In the TV series, Olenna Tyrell essentially confesses to poisoning Joffrey. Who kills Joffrey in the novels?

It's not entirely clear who poisoned him.

Although it still seems likely that Olenna killed him, the novel allows quite a bit of room for alternate theories.

Sansa Stark

Margaery Tyrell

Question 16 of 30

While Ygritte is killed by an arrow in both versions, she's shot by Olly in the TV series. Who kills her in the novels?

Mance Rayder

It's unclear, as she was struck by one of many arrows fired during a battle.

Ygritte is shot during the battle — Jon Snow only knows that it wasn't one of his arrows that struck her down.

Alliser Thorne

Question 17 of 30

How is Viserys Targaryen killed in both versions?

Drogo drags him behind a horse for insulting the khal.

Drogo pours molten gold on his head, giving him a fatal crown of gold.

Viserys gets what he always wanted, a crown of gold, in both versions.

Drogo's other wives feed him to a desert lion.

Question 18 of 30

There's a subtle difference in the way the shadow demon kills Renly in the books and the TV series. In which version is his throat cut?

TV series

novel

The creature slices his throat in the novels. In the TV series he's simply stabbed.

Question 19 of 30

Maester Aemon dies at Castle Black in the TV series. Where does he die in the novels?

in a tent north of the Wall

in King's Landing

on a ship traveling to Oldtown

Maester Aemon is sent away from Castle Black in the novels because Melisandre might have wanted his king's blood (he's a Targaryen). He never completes the journey to Oldtown, dying on a ship.

Question 20 of 30

Arya kills Raff the Sweetling in Braavos, crossing him off her kill list in the novels. Who does she kill in Braavos instead in the TV series?

Varys

Meryn Trant

It's Meryn Trant who gets stabbed in the eyes in Braavos. He's still alive in the novels as of "A Dance with Dragons."

Rorge

Question 21 of 30

How does Princess Myrcella Baratheon die in the novels?

She's stabbed by the Sand Snakes in the Water Gardens.

She doesn't — she's still alive as of "A Dance with Dragons."

Myrcella is on her way back to King's Landing in the novels, safely unpoisoned.

She's poisoned by Ellaria, just as in the TV series.

Question 22 of 30

The Sons of the Harpy kill Barristan Selmy in the TV series. Is he dead in the novels (as of "A Dance with Dragons")?

yes

no

Selmy lives on in the novels and is even featured as a point-of-view character in several chapters.

Question 23 of 30

In which version does Lord Commander Jeor Mormont tell Sam to convince his son Jorah to join the Night's Watch just before he dies?

novels

Lord Commander Mormont has a deathbed conversation with Sam in the novels. In the TV series he dies during the battle, with no prolonged aftermath.

TV series

both

Question 24 of 30

Pyat Pree meets a toasty demise thanks to Daenerys' dragons in the TV series. What happens to him in the novels?

He attacks Daenerys but is repelled by her Dothraki companions. However, he is not killed.

Pyat Pree is not as powerful in the novels, though he attacks Daenerys in anger and is fended off.

He goes mad in the House of the Undying.

Jorah Mormont kills him.

Question 25 of 30

In both versions, who is responsible for poisoning Jon Arryn?

Cersei Lannister

Lysa Arryn

Lysa poisons her husband at the urging of Petyr Baelish, the first step in his complex plan to become a powerful lord (and possibly king).

Robert Baratheon

Question 26 of 30

In the TV series, Maester Pycelle knows Jon Arryn is poisoned and allows him to die by simply doing nothing. How does he take a more active role in the novels?

He dismisses another Maester who was planning to treat the poisoning.

Pycelle sends away the Maester tending to Jon Arryn to prevent him from properly treating the poison.

He administers the poison himself.

He drains some of Arryn's blood to speed the poisoning process.

Question 27 of 30

Jory Cassel dies defending Ned Stark in both versions. In the novels, a Lannister guard kills him. Who kills him in the TV series?

Jaime Lannister

Jaime stabs Jory through the eye in the TV series.

Meryn Trant

Sandor Clegane

Question 28 of 30

Ned Stark's bones are somewhere on their way back to Winterfell in the novels, their exact location unknown. Where were they last seen in the TV series?

Qyburn was experimenting on them.

They were scattered at the base of the wall of the Red Keep.

Tyrion Lannister gives them to Catelyn Stark.

Tyrion delivers Ned's bones to Catelyn, but it's unlikely they ever made it back to Winterfell.

Question 29 of 30

Lord Commander Mormont of the Night's Watch is murdered by a mutinous ranger named Dirk in the novel. Who kills him in the TV series?

Rast

Karl Tanner

It's Karl Tanner that puts a knife into Mormont's throat in the TV series.

Grubbs

Question 30 of 30

Syrio Forel is killed holding off Lannister loyalists to allow Arya to escape King's Landing in which version?

novel

TV series

both

Sword-fighting teacher Syrio Forel's death is similar in both versions (and somewhat uncertain — he may be still alive).